The benefits of exercising the human body in water have long been recognized. It has been suggested that these benefits can be enhanced by providing hand-held implements for increasing the resistance to movement of the arms through the water. This requires the exertion of muscular effort beyond that required for merely swimming or swinging one's arms under water. The use of such implements makes it possible to strengthen and tone the arm, shoulder and chest muscles associated with movement of the arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,744, granted Apr. 9, 1985, to Robert L. Beasley, for "Aquatic Exercise Device With Rigid Fluid Resistance Member" discloses the use of a rigid vane mounted on the hand and wrist of the user for increasing the resistance to movement of the arm of the user through the water. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,109,429, granted Feb. 22, 1938 to A. S. Malm, for "Swimming Device" and 2,569,200, granted Sept. 25, 1951 to E. V. Smith, for "Swimming Paddle" disclose rigid hand-held paddles which, although proposed as aids in swimming, function to increase the resistance to movement of the swimmer's arms through the water and therefore could be viewed as implements for enhancing the swimming exercise.
A principal shortcoming of the devices disclosed in these prior patents is their lack of any provision for altering, or adjusting, the degree of resistance offered against movement of the user's arms through the water. In addition, each of these prior devices is constructed of rigid materials which means that the cost of the devices may be more than is desired for widespread sale of such devices for home use.